The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-04-01
A RoMANcg OF rAs SEA
An Old Sailor Tells the Pathetic story
of His Firat and Only Love.

"A FSh3 N0sB AAScBOhAOAAb "a ~
Atlanta Constitution writes: Three ioI.
" countenanced men sat up in the
Fireman's hall the other evening envel-
oped in a dense cloud of fragrant
smoke. Their appearance indicat"
that they were sea captains. ''Here 40
to auld lang syne," said one, ''and may
the devil take low freights and adverse
winds" The toast was drank enthusi-
astically. Speaking of auld lang
syne," reioined another, reminds me
Of an adventure in my life that for
romance and sadness is hard to beat"
The weather-beaten co~untenance as
sumcd q sad expression. and a slight
tremOr became noticeable in the
speakers voice. II was young, them,
he continued, "a regular happy go
lucky daredevil, "a years of age, and
IN command of as pretty and fast a craft
as ever skinned the Atlantic, Soc
skummeren' (the sea-skimmer), of
Avendal, Norway. Well, as fate would
have it, an old Norwegian captain in
gited me aboard of his vessel, while
lying in Oporto. 1t was here 1 met the
fairy for the preservation of whose life
| afterward recklessly risked mine. 1t
is only due to her, though, to say tn at
if ever human frame were endowed
with heavenly qualities this young
daughter of a typical old seadeg could
boast of them. / not only fell desper-
ately in love with this fair maiden, but
became perfectly oblivious to every
thing else. When with her l imagined
the very atmosphere was impregnated
with a hallowed sweetness-when
away from her the world seemed
dark and dreary. For two weeks
the "SOcskummeren' had been
ready for sea, but despite de-
termined efforts to overcome my in
fatuation, could not leave the place
where she still fingered. She held me
bound in letters, which, though invisi-
BILE, were stronger than the stoutest of
IRON. Day after day my conscience oc-
c~asionally u~pbraided my weakness, but
only a moment after l Rugged the chain
that kept me a prisoner. Atlast the old
craft containing my treasure left the
harbor. Socskummeren' soon followed
suit, and with the impotence of a
prancing steed she seemed anxious to
pass the vessel l loved so we'll to fol-
low. l gave orders to shorten sail, and
for days | managed the "Socskunlmer-
ems" speed so as to remain beside her.
We had arranged a code of signals, and
long after the sun had sunk in the west
or before it had commenced to purple
the eastern sky / stood on the Socskum-
meren's deck, gazing at her. At last
during a squally night we lost sight of
her. l secured the ocean in all direc-
tions, but fruitlessly. Three solid
weeks had passed and not a glimpse
obtained of the other vessel. One day
when off the Bahamas we got into one
of the most violent northers / had ever
experienced. With all her stauchness
and seaworthy qualities even the Soc
skummeren Jared badly. A storm of
ten hours duration had stirred the wa
tiers up terribly. The atmosphere was
hazy, and it was impossible to see any
thing more than five hundred yards
distance. Judge, then, of my surprise
when suddenly a green painted hulk,
mastless and unnavigable, made its APP
pearance ON the scene. With one hand
| held the spy glass and with the
other I grasped the rigging. On dis
covering the situation all fear for the
safety of myself, crew, and vessel van
ished. On the quarterback, clinging
to the railing, I saw the one who was
dearer to me than anything else on
earth, and a few feet distance, as it
seemed, in supreme desperation, stood
her aged, silvery whiskered father. /
Immediately gave orders to laurch the
largest boat, and four brave hearted
young sailors generously volunteered
to accompany me on my dangerous
mission. A few minutes after, and
We could only see the Socskummeren
when simultaneously on the crest of
some gigantic wave. BY dint Of a SUI
perhuman determination to save her
life / succeeded in getting her from the
reck into my boat. How, but | indis-
tinctly remember. | recollect, howey-
er, on returning. that when a huge
way dashed our frail boat against the
Socskummeren, / managed. with her
IL nna o,r, ~ erraar tha ~;r0sn~ and